Elon University has promoted two faculty members to the positions of associate dean. Tim Peeples, associate professor of English, has been named associate dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences. Connie Book, associate professor of communications, has been named associate dean of the School of Communications.
As associate deans, Peeples and Book will continue to teach and pursue their scholarship, but will also take on responsibilities of strategic planning, departmental and faculty support, budget management, and faculty hiring and evaluation.
Peeples has served the past two years as faculty administrative fellow and assistant to the president, working on several special projects, including the opening of the Elon University School of Law. As associate dean, he will supervise a variety of interdisciplinary programs in arts and sciences, will continue work on development of the law school and will assume responsibilities for a number of other institutional priorities.
Book will coordinate School of Communications initiatives such as the Fellows program, facilitate the Communications Advisory Board and work with the North Carolina Open Government Coalition on educational efforts.
Peeples has a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Wooster, a master’s degree in English from Northern Arizona University, and a doctorate in English from Purdue University.
He previously taught at State University of West Georgia and Purdue before coming to Elon in 1998. He has taught a variety of courses in writing and rhetoric, was director of Elon’s Writing Center and director of Writing Across the Curriculum. He received the Excellence in Service/Leadership Award from Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, in 2004.
Peeples’ research focuses on the intersections between classical rhetoric and contemporary professional writing. He has published a book, “Professional Writing and Rhetoric: Readings from the Field,” which helps undergraduate and graduate students develop a humanistic perspective of professional writing.
Book has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Louisiana State University, a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Northwestern State University and a doctorate in journalism and mass communications from the University of Georgia.
She began her career in broadcast journalism as producer and reporter for the CBS television affiliate in Baton Rouge, La., and later became a talk show host for a higher education program for WCOX-TV in Macon, Ga. She previously taught at Georgia College and Meredith College before coming to Elon in 1999. She served as co-chair of the communications department during the 2005-06 academic year.
Book’s research focuses on cable television policy and evolving television technologies, including video on demand and high-definition TV. She has received four grants from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and has written a book, “Digital Television: DTV and the Consumer,” which highlights what consumers should take into consideration when selecting a new digital TV.